NZ ‘in the dark’ over agreements between Cook Islands and China

New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters says that despite the Cook Islands releasing its action plan with China, Aotearoa remains “in the dark” about the details of the agreements.

Speaking at the Pacific Island Political Science Association conference in Wellington on Wednesday, Peters highlighted the deep historical and constitutional ties between New Zealand and the Cook Islands while noting that recent developments have strained that bond.

On Tuesday, the Cook Islands released its Action Plan 2025-2030 for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed with China last week.

Tensions have escalated as New Zealand has criticised the Cook Islands for not being transparent about its dealings with China.

The Cook Islands has been a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand since 1965. But, Peters says expectations are linked to this constitutional arrangement.

“The Cook Islands, in exercising self-government, is supported by New Zealand funding and provision of expertise,” he says.

“As long as the Cook Islands remain tied to New Zealand constitutionally, we have an expectation that the Government of the Cook Islands will not seek benefits only available to fully independent states - such as separate passports and citizenship, or membership of the United Nations or the Commonwealth - or pursue policies that are significantly at variance with New Zealand’s interests.

Peters says New Zealand expects to be “fully and meaningfully consulted" on all major international actions the Cook Islands considers that could affect New Zealand's interests.

Anna Powles of Massey University talks to Pacific Mornings about NZ-Cook Islands relations.

He criticised the government in Rarotonga for entering into several agreements with China without meaningful consultation with New Zealand or the Cook Islands' citizens.

“New Zealand, the Cook Islands people remain, as of this evening, in the dark over all but one of the agreements signed with China and the Cooks last week,” he says.

“Given this lack of consultation, the New Zealand Government, once it has seen the text of all of the agreements that were signed, will need to undertake its own careful analysis of how they impact our vital national interests.

“Only then will we be able to fully gauge the deals’ impact on the relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands,” he says.

Peters acknowledged the strong ties between the people of both countries but says the current challenge lies in the government-to-government relationship.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer attends a protest in Rarotonga on Tuesday.

As the Cook Islands celebrates 60 years of free association with New Zealand this year, he called for a reset of government relations.

“We will also need to find a way, as we did in 1973 and 2001, to formally re-state the mutual responsibilities and obligations that we have for one another and the overall parameters and constraints of the free association model.

“But this state of affairs - disagreement and debates between the leaders of New Zealand and the Cook Islands - has been a periodic feature of our 60 years of free association.

“We have always found a way through, guided by the wisdom and wishes of the Cook Islands people.”